Horas
Westeros 
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 23, 2014 22:14:59 GMT -5
Aegon slept, but he did not rest. Laid low by the devious poison, Aegon tossed fitfully with some dream he could not awaken from, murmuring incoherent phrases below the edge of hearing. Sometimes it seemed he prayed in his slumber, other times he mumbled the names of people who were not there. He sweat through his sheets from heat and fever and grew ever thinner, despite the broth shoved down his throat. Aegon's attendant and knight, Ser Rolf, did much of the mundane work of preparing the meals, and scowled like an angry mother hen when anyone other than Ser Brandon was in the vicinity of the Prince. The healer came and went many times, plying his trade, and though he preached cautious optimism Aegon still did not wake. Until he did.
The Prince of Dragonstone opened his eyes groggily and leveraged himself to a sitting position in the bed, shocked at the exertion it took to accomplish. He insisted on getting out of bed anyway, stumbling and nearly falling on uncertain legs, pulling on breeches and a shirt. A runner was immediately dispatched to inform Ser Brandon.
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 23, 2014 22:59:18 GMT -5
Brandon was at the point of heading for Aerion when he received word that Aegon had awoke
"your grace. Thank the gods you wake."
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 23, 2014 23:08:30 GMT -5
Aegon looked drawn and pale, but his jaw was set stubbornly against the attempts of various servants to see him back in bed. "Brandon," Aegon said, forgetting his formalities. "What happened?" Was all he could think to ask. The Prince half stumbled over to the room's looking glass, saw new growth of beard on his face which had not been there before and rubbed at it with a frown.
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 24, 2014 7:34:42 GMT -5
"Your grace you were poisoned. Some substance hidden inside your candles and inhaled while you slept. The man who placed the candles is slain. The middle man who hired him was just killed by the culprit, who may be acting on orders from Lys, is now fleeing the city. I go to pursue."
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 24, 2014 11:47:51 GMT -5
Aegon blinked slowly, taking it in. "I will go too," he resolved. He found Penance on a hook on the wall, lifted it, surprised at how heavy it seemed. Perhaps that was appropriate, Aegon thought errantly, for penance should weigh heavily on a man. "How does he flee?"
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 24, 2014 12:34:57 GMT -5
"By horse to Mantarys, but there is a risk that he may double back and head for the harbor." Brandon said, "Your grace, you are not well, I think you should rest still."
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 24, 2014 16:31:22 GMT -5
"I have rested for too long," Aegon replied, strapping on his belt. "I am strong enough to fly. What is this man's name?"
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 24, 2014 17:07:31 GMT -5
"Qhoran," Brandon replied. "I know little of him save he wanted you and I dead, and that he has ties to Lys and the magister you slew. He cut through the trap I had laid for him hoping to take him alive. If we leave we should hurry."
Brandon made for the door assuming the Prince followed.
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 24, 2014 17:54:38 GMT -5
Aegon nodded and followed closely on the Kingsguard's heels, unwilling to let the infirmity of his condition slow Brandon down. He was grateful to when they reached horses to more quickly convey them through the city. "If he has more than one avenue of escape, we should split up," Aegon reasoned. "One to the harbor, and one to the road, so either way he will not be able to slip away."
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 24, 2014 18:02:23 GMT -5
"He had thugs with him, it was reported," Brandon replied, "and I had thought we would travel more ground by wing."
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Horas
Westeros
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Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 24, 2014 20:00:29 GMT -5
"If we are going to the docks it would need be on foot, but if he flees by the old Valyrian road it seems we would better be able to overtake them on wing. You know more about this investigation than I, so I will defer to your judgment on the matter," Aegon replied, stretching the disuse out of his limbs.
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 24, 2014 20:06:28 GMT -5
Brandon nodded, "If they have already doubled then it will be the harbor, but I think we can catch them on the wing."
They rode to where the dragons were kept, and mounted up, Brandon helping Aegon saddle Glutton.
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 24, 2014 20:20:01 GMT -5
Aegon was stiff, but the mere motions of riding and walking seemed to pump blood back into his limbs, strengthening him. Glutton swiveled his ugly maw as Aegon approached, as if hoping for more food. Aegon climbed on the dragon once saddled and attached the four short chains to his belt, then nodded at Brandon to lead the way.
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 24, 2014 20:22:29 GMT -5
Aerion gave a snarl at Brandon for having been absent so long, and once mounted, they took off into the air, taking to the air and flying above the Mantarys road, looking for their fugitive.
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 24, 2014 20:28:09 GMT -5
Aegon looked particularly for small groups or lone riders moving with strange haste away from Volantis, or any men who changed their pace at the sight of dragons.
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Post by Vhagar on Mar 25, 2014 10:01:03 GMT -5
There is an intermittent flow of travellers along the road. Unfortunately for the two, they have been significantly delayed in their pursuit of Qhoran, and neither of them knows what he looks like, so they can't tell if the people they spot below are the merchant. They will have to stop somewhere and intercept travellers.
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 25, 2014 10:40:04 GMT -5
"This man is Lysene, you said?" Aegon calls out -- it was a slim clue, but if so they could attempt to distinguish the pale skinned, silver haired Lyseni from their swarthier neighbors to the east. "You should land and question, I'll circle above to see if anyone tries to double back or head off the road once they hear of the blockade."
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 25, 2014 15:52:03 GMT -5
Brandon gave a nod of acknowledgement, and flew up ahead.
Aerion landed across the road, and easily blocked it by laying across it, offering a baleful glare at any who approach. Brandon stood slightly off to the side, so as not to be in the path of Aerion's breath, but so that he could still shout commands to the travelers who approached.
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Post by Vhagar on Mar 25, 2014 16:13:22 GMT -5
When the people saw the dragon, they hesitated. Some ran in the opposite direction. One man, however, called out "Let us pass. We have done you no harm, dragonspawn."
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 25, 2014 17:35:31 GMT -5
"I am looking for a man from Lys, who slew a citizen of Volantis. If you are not he, you have nothing to fear and may pass." Brandon examined the faces in the crowd, especially for those who showed recognition and or no surprise.
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Post by Vhagar on Mar 25, 2014 18:16:05 GMT -5
None of the people seemed guilty, though it might be that one of them was a very good actor. The man who had spoken before said "A man passed us an hour ago. His horse was lathered and bloody. He seemed in an awful hurry to press on."
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 25, 2014 18:56:37 GMT -5
"How far could you get in an hour?" Brandon asked. "Whipping your horse such."
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Post by Vhagar on Mar 25, 2014 19:06:45 GMT -5
"I don't know. I would never treat a horse that way. But he was in a hurry for sure. And he was going along the old road. He's probably still on it."
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Post by Lord Commander Brandon Snow on Mar 25, 2014 19:45:42 GMT -5
Brandon nodded, and took to wing reaching Aegon. "A man riding for to beat a devil took the old road" Brandon said gesturing.
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Mar 26, 2014 12:10:11 GMT -5
"A horse cannot outrun a dragon," Aegon replied over the wind, and set off in the direction Brandon indicated.
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all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too